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It’s Man Vs. Car in NYC and Tim Robbins is “The Rectifier”

11:13 AM EDT on May 15, 2008

Granted, I always secretly hoped that Tom Hanks would play the Aaron Naparstek role in "Honku: The Movie" but Tim Robbins' new film "Noise" is, without question, the early runner-up for Streetsblog's 2008 Movie of the Year:

David (Oscar-winner and New York City resident Tim Robbins) is a successful lawyer who can’t standthe fact that Manhattan is a place where it’s too noisy to get a goodnight’s sleep, listen to classical music, or even make love to his wifewithout disturbance. Every time David hears a car alarm going off, heswings into action. Adopting the guise of “The Rectifier,” he engagesin acts of vandalism that satisfy him immensely but which generate noend of grief from his wife (Bridget Moynahan). They also make himpolitically controversial when he provokes the ire of the city’sarrogant mayor (Oscar-winner William Hurt).

Best of all, "Noise" offers up the most concise and accurate summary of NYPD traffic enforcement policy I've ever seen:

"You don't come when the car is attacking us, only when we're attacking the car."

-- Tim Robbins to New York City police officer.

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